Aristocrats happy to find common ground

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Focused: Andre Vos is raring to go after a summer of rest

By Mick Cleary

12:01AM BST 13 Sep 2003

Aristocrats happy to find common ground

By Mick Cleary

They haven't quite shaken off their past. Nor, perhaps, would they want to. For all the slick makeover at the Stoop, all the laudable initiatives to build a sense of community, to ditch the city-slickers tag, to reshape their identity, there is a delicious sense of anticipation about Harlequins' first away fixture of the Premiership.

Quins are away to Rotherham; old school meets inner-city comprehensive; multi-coloured collar rubs up alongside proletarian blue, upstairs deigns to travel downstairs. Harlequins know better than anyone that the easy stereotypes are still there in the margins. Their visit to Millmoor will be watched with a certain ghoulish fascination. West Ham, one-time pearly queens of football's Premiership, recently threw a wobbly when they played Rotherham in Nationwide One, taking umbrage at the spartan Millmoor facilities and changing instead back at their hotel.

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"Just what we'd like to happen, too, Harlequins spitting their dummy when they come here," said Rotherham captain, hooker Chris Johnson.

Only they won't. Harlequins have moved on. They are a streamlined professional outfit, competitive in their own infuriatingly inconsistent way on the field and progressive away from it. They have done wonderfully well to embrace a new audience at the Stoop, so often in the past a cheerless place to watch, and play, rugby. So much so that Harlequins' most pressing problem is how to fit more bums on seats. There has been an 800 per cent growth in season ticket sales over the past five years. This season's total is nearing 4,000. The average gate is just over 8,000, which is 320 per cent up on that same period. The club are about to announce plans for an ambitious redevelopment of the Stoop, a scheme that will be gradual and in harmony with the local community.

At this rate, they may even win over a few outside sceptics.

"We're going to run out of capacity soon at the Stoop and that presents problems going forward," said chief executive and director of rugby, Mark Evans. "We've gone almost as far as we want in terms of player recruitment. We believe that we can grow a significant number of our own players. We're not going to plunge in the market to recruit all the big names. That's not what this club is about any more. The prefix 'wealthy' shouldn't be tagged on to Harlequins any more. We don't have the biggest wage bill in the Premiership here, but nor do we have the biggest losses."

The Harlequins roster is not stacked with familiar names. No more Keith Wood, who has retired from the club scene, no more Dan Luger, who is off to Perpignan. Jason Leonard and Will Greenwood are with England for the World Cup. One man with some commendable international credentials who will not be heading to Australia is former Springbok captain, Andre Vos, the exception to Evans's rule of not flashing the chequebook every time a major player comes on to the market.

Evans has always been judicious in his choice of overseas player. Former Wallaby flanker David Wilson did a good job at the club until felled by a cruciate injury. The hope is that Vos will have a similarly galvanising presence. He arrived post-haste from South Africa last autumn. He has had the benefit of a summer's rest and training for the first time in many a moon.

"I can't remember the last proper pre-season I had," said the 28-year-old. "It's been important for me, to get in shape and to really get to know the guys here. I really want to make an impact. I've had no second thoughts about the World Cup happening without me. My mind was made up a long time ago. I'm contracted to Quins until June 2005 so I intend to make a full contribution. I'd like to see us up there in the top four. The key is a good start."

This afternoon's opener against champions Wasps will be a good indicator. The departure of lock Alex Codling to Saracens may expose their second-row resources. There is some promising talent across the backline, with high hopes of wing Ugo Monye, a star on the sevens circuit for England, and of Ireland A utility back, Gavin Duffy, an import from Connacht, and Samoan wing, George Harder, who has arrived from Leeds.

Harlequins finished seventh last year. They have that middling feel about them this season as well.